Exam 1 Sample Questions

What are the major layers (by composition) of the interior of the earth?

How do we know the outer core is liquid?

How do we know the elements making up the core?

What is isostasy?

Describe two characteristic of cont. crust that make it float higher than oceanic crust.

What are 3 pieces of evidence used by Wegner to suggest continental drift?

What are the stages of the Wilson Cycle?

What landforms are associated with each stage of the Wilson Cycle?

Why do magnetic anomalies on the ocean seafloor suggest about seafloor spreading?

What is another line of evidence that the seafloor is spreading?

Describe two mechanisms driving plate motion.

Distinguish between felsic v mafic

Distinguish between rock v mineral

Distinguish between weathering v eriosion

Distinguish between sill v dike

Distinguish between contact v regional metamorphism

Distinguish between syncline v anticline

Distinguish between normal v reverse fault

Name the 6 major categories of minerals

What is the source of magma for mid-ocean ridges?

What is the source of magma for hot spots?

What is the source of magma for subduction zones?

With what tectonic processes would you expect decompression melting to be important?

With what tectonic processes would you expect fluid induced melting to be important?

Explain how crystal fractionation can change magma to produce a variety of igneous rocks.

Describe the 3 rock types that make up oceanic lithosphere (in order from bottom to top)

How does the amount of silica change magma flow?

How does amount of silica affect types of volcanoes?

Does the ages of layers get younger or older towards center of syncline?

Which is compressional, normal or reverse faults?

What does hornblende indicate about melt underneath a convergent plate boundary?

What does C-12 isotopes indicate about melt underneath a convergent plate boundary?

How did hornblende and C-12 isotopes get to be located beneath a convergent boundary?